At his forge and studio, The Dancing Hammer, he soulfully designs and crafts a unique and amazing array of metalwork. His creations range from large architectural installations to delicate jewelry. Surrounded inside and outside of his shop by inspirational metal artifacts of all kinds, forms, and finishes, he feels the metal and becomes the metal as he coaxes pleasing, resonating, and harmonious shapes to emerge from the hot iron and steel.
Learn about John's blacksmithing journey under the DH Story and find out how to set up your own encounter with hot metal in the Instruction section. View our Instagram to see our latest projects in real time. Finally, if you see something you like or want to discuss your own one-of-a-kind custom metal creation, consult the Contact tab.
Learn about John's blacksmithing journey under the DH Story and find out how to set up your own encounter with hot metal in the Instruction section. View our Instagram to see our latest projects in real time. Finally, if you see something you like or want to discuss your own one-of-a-kind custom metal creation, consult the Contact tab.
Services
The Dancing Hammer is not your typical smithy or metal shop. You are greeted outside by masses of rusted and peeling metal parts and shapes-sitting in piles, sticking in the ground and hanging from the roof and trees along the garden next to this welcoming shop.
Inside, you'll find the usual forge, fire, old anvil and racks of hammers and tongs, but there are also myriads of metal shapes adorning the walls and ceiling and filling tables and shelves.It is a place where metal is celebrated in all its forms. Inspiration is in the air, and new projects are constantly taking shape.
Inside, you'll find the usual forge, fire, old anvil and racks of hammers and tongs, but there are also myriads of metal shapes adorning the walls and ceiling and filling tables and shelves.It is a place where metal is celebrated in all its forms. Inspiration is in the air, and new projects are constantly taking shape.
The Dancing Hammer draws upon a range of decorative styles including traditional, contemporary, medieval, art deco, art nouveau, rustic, and industrial. You can see these influences and more in the works displayed below in the Showcase and Metalwork Portfolio. Organic motifs and flowing scrolls figure prominently in his pieces, but funky shapes and quirky lines are also part of his design repertoire.
At the Dancing Hammer, the passion for working hot metal has begotten a passion for sharing it. For as long as he has operated his own forge, John has taught blacksmithing and over the years has passed along the joys of moving hot iron and steel to hundreds of students.
He has offered classes at Old Sturbridge Village (MA), Brookfield Craft Center (CT), Worcester Center for Crafts (MA), and Bay Path Regional Vocational High School Evening School (MA).John also takes on students-boys and girls, men and women-at his own shop in Spencer for one-on-one, family, and small group instruction.
He has offered classes at Old Sturbridge Village (MA), Brookfield Craft Center (CT), Worcester Center for Crafts (MA), and Bay Path Regional Vocational High School Evening School (MA).John also takes on students-boys and girls, men and women-at his own shop in Spencer for one-on-one, family, and small group instruction.
John would love to hear from you: about creating something, arranging instruction, or answering some blacksmithing question. Ordering individual pieces directly from this site is not possible, but John happily takes orders over the phone or on-line. He does not reproduce one-of-a-kind commissions out of respect for the original client, but he welcomes the opportunity to render a new version of a theme you might like or a motif you may fancy.
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